# In Jurassic Park what was the point of showing the Barbasol Can covered in mud? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 26, 2026, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991 "2026-02-26T08:33:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991/61 "2026-03-03T02:42:50Z")
I thought when I first saw the movie, and I still think, that the can buried in the mud would somehow preserve the embryos for a future sequel, when after we thought all the dinosaurs had been killed, or at least captured, the little embryos would pop out perfectly healthy and ready to start the whole thing over. Again! ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991/62 "2026-03-03T03:51:56Z")
I always assumed it was a way to signal that millions of years in the future, that future civilizations would dig the can up to recreate dinosaurs again. ---
**Author:** ![Nyvaak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Nyvaak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nyvaak)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991/63 "2026-03-03T09:24:05Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > In the novel it’s a plot point that Grant figures out on the fly while running from one that the T Rex’s vision is based on motion (it only sees things that are moving). It’s specifically presented as an example of the kind of thing you couldn’t know about a animal until you meet a live one. I never did understand the “based on motion” idea. Being more _attuned_ to moving objects, yeah sure, but “_can’t see you if you stand still?_” Would that have meant that tyrannosaurs were constantly bumping into all those non-moving trees and rocks? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991/64 "2026-03-03T11:04:37Z")
I read that as “food moves; scenery doesn’t.” So hold still and you’ll be assumed to be scenery. You might get stomped inadvertently but you won’t get chomped deliberately. Similar advice is given today for e.g. bear encounters. If you behave like typical prey, you’ll be considered to be prey. So don’t do that. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991/65 "2026-03-03T11:07:26Z")
That was my take. I also have rather shallow interpretations of movie storytelling. I was ~30yo when the movie came out & I saw it first run. So I can’t plead kidly ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991/66 "2026-03-03T13:21:09Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I saw the Barbsol as a symbol of our civilization. The dinosaurs are capable of crushing our civilization into the mud. I’ve never understood the whole menace to human existence/civilization that the dinos are supposed to represent, if the dinos escape the island/park and somehow thrive we would have dino mcnuggets in McDonalds very soon. Dinos that get into populated areas would soon be killed by kinetic means, those that don’t would eke out a living in isolated areas until the humans decided that they wanted the area for some human reason and then killed them in the traditional manner of our people, by poisoning his environment until their hair falls off and they become sterile… well, except the hair part. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991/67 "2026-03-03T13:48:38Z")
Am I to assume that drinking an entire pool of chlorinated water (JP 2) has no effect on T Rexes? And what does Spielberg have against dogs? He had one eaten in **Jaws**. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991/68 "2026-03-03T14:23:35Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > And what does Spielberg have against dogs? Wes Anderson: “Hold my beer.” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991/69 "2026-03-03T14:49:31Z")
I saw this movie in the theater at 15 years old. I thought it was sequel setup. Something to do with those dinosaur fetuses becoming dinosaurs for the next movie. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991/70 "2026-03-03T14:51:06Z")
It’s weird. I never saw it as anything else beyond a way of saying, “… and so ends Nedry’s story”. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991/71 "2026-03-03T20:23:39Z")
I saw it as a clear message, the same message as the whole idea of Jurassic Park. Something about the Hubris of Man playing God (or Mother Nature if you prefer). The embryos were returned to the Earth where they belong, to be fossilized. Spielberg is not a subtle director. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991/72 "2026-03-05T12:12:03Z")
I thought it was a metaphor on fossilization. Fossils came from dinos buried in mud and now this is buried in mud. I remember reading that when someone asked Spielberg about the scene his only comment was, “I should have used more rain.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-jurassic-park-what-was-the-point-of-showing-the-barbasol-can-covered-in-mud/1027991.md?page=3)